The Wragg
Fire, scene here from a home in Golden Bear Estates, sent a billowing
tower of smoke into the air on Wednesday, July 22, growing by the hour
to consume more than 6.500 acres. The fire was 80 percen
t contained on Tuesday morning,
but around 1 p.m. was reignited
by wind.

By DEBRA DeANGELO
Express editor
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire, and there was plenty of
both last week as a cloud of thick, choking smoke rolled over town around
3 p.m. on Wednesday, July 22, and rained ash everywhere, the smoke so
thick that it was difficult to ascertain where it was coming from and
how far away it was.
Word soon came that a fire had ignited in the hills west of town just
before 2:30 p.m. along Highway 128 near Greaves Road, in the vicinity
of Wragg Canyon, which quickly lent its name to the blaze: the Wragg Fire.
Up over the hills, a thick plume of smoke arose, feeding into the growing
cloud of smoke over Winters, turning the sun to a dim red ball and continuing
to drop ash on everything. By mid afternoon, campgrounds along Putah Creek
were being evacuated and many horse owners scrambled to get their animals
into trailers and haul them to safety. Ernie Gaddini offered his ranch
in rural Winters for animals that needed an emergency safe haven. . .
.

Montana Frey fights
to the front of the pack during the breaststroke event.

It was another busy and successful weekend for the Winters Swim Team
as they hosted Natomas on Saturday, July 18, at the Bobbie Greenwood
Pool. Winters had somebody competing in all 85 events throughout the
day and most of the time they were in the top five.
Starting the day was Logan Anello in the 6 and under 25 free kickboard
with a second place finish. Mickayla Passantino took first place in
the girls 9-10 100 IM. In the boys Grayson Roberts took first and Marcus
Lopez was third. Ruben Valencia took first in the boys 11-12 100 IM
with Diego Valencia placing third. Casey Cox took second in the girls
13-14 100 IM and Jacob Roberts took first in the boys. For the girls
15-18 100 IM Montana Frey took first, while Alec Matheson placed second
in the boys. . . .